Description

MARIO CHAMLEE (LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, MAY 29, 1892 – LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 13, 1966)

 

 

 

 

His real name was Archer Cholmondeley. He began his studies in science at the University of Southern California before turning to singing, which he studied under Achille Alberti in Los Angeles. He made his debut in 1916 in Los Angeles as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor. After further vocal training with Sibella and Dellera in New York, he embarked on a tour with the Aborn Opera Company in 1917, adopting the stage name Mario Rodolfi. His partner on this tour was the soprano Ruth Miller (1892–1983), who performed under the name Francesca Milena. The two married in 1919.

From 1917 to 1919, he served as a soldier in World War I. Upon returning to the United States, he sang with the Scotti Opera Company during the 1919–20 season. In 1920, he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, making his debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca. He was active at the Met during the 1920–21 season and again from 1927–28. During this time, he also performed in San Francisco (1927 and 1931) and appeared annually at the Ravinia Summer Opera in Chicago from 1921 to 1931.

From 1928 to 1936, he performed extensively in Europe, primarily at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, but also in Brussels, Liège, Lille, Bordeaux, Nice, the Vienna Volksoper, and the German Theatre in Prague. In 1933, he appeared at the Chicago Opera. From 1936 to 1939, he returned to the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he sang in the premieres of R. Hageman’s Caponsacchi (1937) and G. Menotti’s Amelia Goes to the Ball (1938).

In 1940, he retired from the stage and, alongside his wife, dedicated himself to teaching voice in Los Angeles.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

Il duca di Mantova 6/5/1920, B. F. Pinkerton 4/4/1922, 12/12/1922, Il duca di Mantova 2/6/1923, Uin-San-Lui 11/27/1923, Rodolfo 2/26/1924, B. F. Pinkerton 1/13/1925, Il duca di Mantova 6/5/1926, B. F. Pinkerton 3/8/1927, Hoffmann 2/14/1928, Jeník 12/22/1936, L’amante 3/3/1938, 3/8/1938, 1/11/1939 (in Filadelfia)

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

‘O sole mio (Di Capua) 10042 5686-5687 Brunswick, New York City, May 1921

On the road to Mandalay (Speaks) 30104 X13321 Brunswick, New York City, 13 June 1924

Open the gates of the temple (Knapp) 30110 X14842 Brunswick, New York City, 6 February 1925

Out of the Dusk to You (Lamb-Lee) 10117A 12622 Brunswick, New York City, early March 1924

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 10005 3007 Brunswick, New York City, 1920

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 15134 E23570-E23571 Brunswick, New York City, 1927

Paquita (Buzzi-Peccia) 15213 E27420 Brunswick, New York City, 25 April 1928

Paquita (Serenata Spagnola) 10126 13666 Brunswick, New York City, 4 August 1924

Parted (Tosti) 10107 7719 Brunswick, New York City, March 1922

Parted (Tosti) 10230 XE18276-XE18278 Brunswick, New York City, 1927

Pleading (Kramer) 10224B E18173 Brunswick, New York City, 23 February 1926

Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 10049 6866 Brunswick, New York City, October or November 1921

Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna è mobile 15194 E28490 Brunswick, New York City, 28 October 1928

Rigoletto (Verdi) Questa o quella 10014 3649 Brunswick, New York City, 1920

Santa Lucia (trad) A62570 3889 Brunswick, New York City, 1920

Si vous l’aviez compris (Denza) 15178 E27292 Brunswick, New York City, 5 April 1928